


Edward D. Tess

by ace_kenobi



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis, One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe, Child Neglect, Gen, Harold and Alberta A+ parenting, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-06
Updated: 2019-09-20
Packaged: 2020-01-05 12:02:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18365612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ace_kenobi/pseuds/ace_kenobi
Summary: What if Eustace had a reason for being so nasty? What if the Pevensie siblings weren't the only ones to travel to a different world? This is a story of Eustace if he had been raised by Edward Newgate and the Whitebeard pirates. AU Eustace-Centric. Cross posted on ff.net





	1. Chapter 1

Eustace knew that he shouldn't go into the ocean, he knew that he could and probably would get hurt.

He was only 5, he couldn't swim properly yet, and the waves were strong.

But maybe if he got Alberta and Harold mad enough, they'd finally see him.

 

He was tired of being alone.

 

Eustace was very smart, especially for a 5 year old. He knew Harold and Alberta didn't want a son. What they wanted was was a trophy.

 

Harold and Alberta always showed off how "intelligent, refined, and well behaved" he was, but that was only when other people were around. When it was just Alberta and Harold with him, Eustace was left by himself with the strict warning that children should be seen not heard.

That was why he acted mean. It was also why he hated his cousins, the Pevensie. They didn't know how much it hurt to be alone, and they never would because they were friends. He hated them and they hated him, so it was even. His cousins always called him beastly because he always did everything he could to get them in trouble. They deserved it.

 

He was ready to go into the water to make Harold and Alberta care.

 

Maybe, if he was really hurt they'd hug him.

 

Maybe they'd be so grateful that he was okay, that they'd call him son and fuss over him.

 

And maybe, just maybe, let him call them mom and dad.

 

And with that thought, Eustace walked into the icy waves. As soon as he was in the water, he was knocked down, but he got up again. Refusing to stop,he kept walking deeper into the water.

Eustace looked back to Harold and Alberta, and his heart broke to see that they hadn't even noticed that he was gone, much less that he was in danger. So, when the next wave came to drag him down, he didn't try to float, he just let the wave take him. Maybe the wave would take him somewhere he could find a family that cared about him. As he went under, he sensed a shift in the air. he suddenly felt warm and at peace.

 

Then he heard a rumbling voice that said, "Rest easy my son, for I have you" just then, he knew that everything would be okay.

 

He felt himself drift off and smiled, knowing he was saved and feeling he was loved.

 

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

 

In a dinghy- that was in no way worthy of being called a boat- in the middle of nowhere sat four men. Three of which were, glaring at the fourth, whom they'd unanimously decided was the idiot at fault for their predicament.

 

_Why me, yoi? What did i do to deserve an idiot like him as my best friend?!_ thought one of the three.

 

_Gurarara! My sons always getting into these messes, the snot nosed brats._ Thought the oldest of the four with amused resignation.

 

_I should have stayed home today_ , thought the other, _but no i had to come as moral support._

_Stupid pompadour._

_Stupid flaming turkey._

_Stupid dinghy, just stupid everything dammit_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which:  
> Thatch has... ideas  
> Vista regrets his life choices  
> Marco is done  
> Whitebeard loves his sons  
> and  
> Eustace is a sad little bean

Thatch looked at Marco, and decided that he was better off left alone. Lest his best friend acted on the homicidal thoughts that were surely going through his mind, if the twitching eye was any indication.

 

So he turned to his Pops, and saw that the man was still laughing.

 

_Sheesh, wasn’t like I wanted the damn fish to take the oars._

 

So he turned to his last companion.

“Hey, Vista nice weather we’re having”, Thatch grinned at his brother.

 

“No, Thatch, it’s not nice. And thanks to you, we lost the oars.” Vista grumbled.

 

Thatch pouted “Nu-uh not my fault the fish wouldn’t stay long enough to-”

 

“But it is your fault for trying to fish, by attacking the fish with the oars” interrupted Marco.

 

“Well who forgot the finishing equipment?” Thatch asked.

 

“You did, you baka!” shouted Marco and Vista.

 

“Now now, brats, we were all part of this trip and none of us packed anything so we are all at fault not just your brother, though he should have know better than to use our oars to fish.” placated Whitebeard.

 

Marco and Vista resumed their glaring at the clouds as Thatch looked mournfully towards the water, hoping to find the damn fish that stole his oars.

Because he was the only one staring at the water, Thatch was the only one to see it. Just below the surface, it was too far to make out exactly ...but it looked like a child. Without a second thought, he jumped in.

The splash came as the shock to the other three, as none had been paying attention to Thatch.

 

“Idiot, come back!” shouted Vista, but Thatch just kept on swimming.

Marco almost jumped over the edge, when Thatch went under. Only held back by the knowledge that as a devil-fruit user, he would be of no help to his brother.

___________

 

Eustace was being pulled up, he felt arms wrap around his torso. He didn’t know who it was, but he wanted them to let go.

 

_Everything is so peaceful in the water and nothing could hurt me._

 

He was done being hurt, he was done caring, so this person had better leave him alone.

But, against his will, he found himself being hauled onto a boat with three men already on there. Two of the men were pretty tall, but the third was ginormous.

He looked at the man at fault for saving him and glared.

 

“Why’d you have to do that for?” Eustace demanded, as he tried to throw himself back into the ocean.

 

But he knew that even if he made it back in, the peacefulness was gone. And it was all that man’s fault.

 

“Hey, brat. How bout a ‘Thank you’?, seeing as my brother just risked his life to save yours, yoi.” the blonde pineapple told him.

 

So Eustace glared at him instead,“Well I didn’t ask him to save me did I?” he retorted, from the arms of the man who saved him yet again by stopping his mad dash toward the sea.

 

______

 

Eustace turned to glare at the red-haired man who was still holding him.

 

“Let me go, put me down this instant you baboon!”

 

Thatch smirked at the kid, impressed at the young one’s insults.

 

“No. I think I’d rather not take that risk kid. Cause the first thing you did after I let you go, was try to jump back in. Even though, you clearly don’t know how to swim. So I think I’ll hold on to you a while longer.”

 

And with that, he sat down with a lap full of squirmy demon-child


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the potato hates the pineapple. Eustace did not agree to this but Whitebeard'd motto is basically kidnapping equals adoption. Thatch is tired. Marco is not Amused, Vista stop laughing.

Marco took the brat from Thatch, when the squirming kid nailed Thatch a good one right in the face. Giving him what was sure to be a nasty looking shiner. 

Thatch tried to refuse claiming, “A tantrum throwing baby isn’t enough to take me down Marco, I can handle it.” 

“That may be true Thatch, but I have a healing factor. And we need your arms free in case one of us falls into the ocean. Come on Thatch you’re the only one without a devil-fruit”. 

Thatch grumbled, but relented.

 

Thatch knew that Marco was right, and his need to protect his family was greater than his pride. Losing to a child would hurt his pride, but losing a family member would destroy him. He knew that all of this was his fault. It had been his trip. But, in his excitement over Pops and Marco finally being free of paperwork and able to join him, he was too excited to pack. Add the fact that he’d been able to convince Vista, whom he was on thin ice with because of his last prank, to come along...and well, he...just forgot.

He knew he was, of all the Whitebeard’s, probably the most impulsive. So, when he saw his family starving (because of him he might add) he felt he had to do something- anything- to make it better. So when he saw the school of fish swimming by, it was a no-brainer. 

He decided it would be a good idea to play whack-a-fish to catch dinner.

And well that didn’t turn out so great but hey hindsight is a class A jerk. It was a bad idea, but as a chef he’d probably do it again.

What kind of chef let people starve? What kind of chef caused people to starve? Answer: a dead one or a useless one and he as long as he lived, as long as he called himself a chef he’d do everything in his power to keep people from starving.

Marco studied the brat he was holding. He saw the desperation in his attempts to escape, but he refused to let go of it. Because he knew it would probably jump back into the ocean, thereby forcing Thatch to follow. 

So Marco didn’t let go. Not when the kicks and punches actually landed, or even when it started biting. He didn’t know what was wrong with the annoying kid but like hell he’d let any of his brothers be put in danger because of it.

Vista, meanwhile, was having trouble holding in his laughter. It took a lot to actually annoy Marco, he was the calmest of all of Whitebeard's children.  
...Izo was a close second, but...mess with the man’s make up, and well best of luck to ya.

Not Marco though. Even when his siblings were threatened. Mother-hen Marco always kept his cool.

Not to say that he wouldn’t unleash the worst forms of hell on the poor moron who blipped as a threat in Marco’s radar-but this was a child, annoying maybe, but not a threat. So seeing his ever cool-headed brother getting his feathers ruffled, was extremely amusing.

He could understand his brother’s frustration:

One- they are stranded in the middle of nowhere

Two- they have no provisions.

Three- Thatch lost the oars.

Four- seeing Thatch go under for seemingly no reason knowing that there was nothing they could do to help yeah not fun.

Five- the brat Thatch had risked his life for was nothing more than a troublesome ungrateful brat. And finally

Six- the brat was slowly but surely falling asleep on him.

...and truly, it was the last one that really wanted to make Vista laugh, One second, the kid was glaring at Marco, and the next he was nodding off cuddling to the warmth the Phoenix zoan gave off. Only to shake off his sleepiness, and resume his glaring and repeat.

Eustace was not happy What do they think I am? That they could pass me around like a sack of potatoes?

All he wanted was to get away from these people. He didn’t like them, and they made his heart hurt just like when he looked at his cousins. It was obvious that they were a family. And that they cared for each other, so Eustace wanted nothing more than to escape.

But Eustace was tired...and the one carrying him, Marco if he remembered correctly, was really warm.

Plus, squirming and kicking and biting did no good against his current captor as any damage inflicted was instantly healed somehow. 

It intrigued him...but he was too tired to really focus or care for that matter, and soon the boy drifted off to sleep.

Whitebeard looked at the now sleeping child. He knew that his sons only saw an ungrateful spiteful brat with a good left hook throwing a tantrum.

But Whitebeard saw beyond that.

That child could not be older than six, and that was pushing it-and yet that child had wanted to die. 

When Thatch had rescued him, there had been no fear or tears of gratitude. There had only been anger, and dismay at being denied the chance to rest. 

The kid had wanted to die.

And even if the almost drowning had been accidental, it was no accident when the boy had tried to throw himself overboard seconds after being saved. 

There was sadness in his eyes that spoke of the pain and loneliness in his soul. It made his blood boil to think that a child had suffered as much as this one, and though he knew a pirate ship was no place for a kid he found himself wanting this brat as a son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for not posting I have zero excuses seeing as I have at least seven chapters already typed. I would promise to do better but I can't actually guarntee I'll keep my promise but I can promise to try. 
> 
> Anyways
> 
> Thank you everyone for your kudos and reviews they mean a lot to me .


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Whitebeard really wants to murder someone (two someones at least) but there's something more important first. Tess does not understand. (Thank you Harold and Alberta for your A+ parenting)

Chapter 4

The dinghy drifted all through the night with the men taking turns as watch. 

 

As Marco began to nod off, Whitebeard took the child from his arms. It was a testament to his exhaustion that instead of arguing, Marco fell asleep. 

He studied the child and marvelled at how small he was.

He looks so peaceful when he sleeps

Holding back a chuckle as the child snuggled closer, he became lost in thought. Whitebeard knew that this kid was physically neglected. He had a very abrasive personality, but he yearned for human contact or comfort of any kind.

As the dinghy drifted so did his thoughts, he was so distracted it took a while to notice they had neared an island. 

Whitebeard hated it, but he had to wake Thatch because he and the kid were the only two who could touch water.

Thatch grumbled a bit about the water messing up his hair, but hopped off and helped guide the boat to land. 

 

Marco and Vista woke soon after, and together the three devil fruit users disembarked. Whitebeard carrying the kid. 

 

Eustace woke, but did not move.

He was good at being quiet...and maybe...if the men thought he was asleep, he could get away. 

His plan was working. 

The man...

...Oyaji, is what the others call him...set him down in the sand to plan their next move. 

Eustace waited, he was very patient, and when he knew they weren’t paying attention he snuck away. It wasn’t until he made it to the forest that the men realized he was gone, and by then he was free to run.

 

Marco was the first to notice. He had the best instincts out of the four of them.

He knew something was off, and when he looked at the spot Oyaji had left the brat.

It was gone.

He must of called out, because soon his companions stopped talking to look at him. He was looking around trying to spot the brat. He was going to follow it, when he saw it sneaking into the forest.

“Let him go” Whitebeard commanded when he saw his sons ready to go after the kid. 

“He won’t go far, and we cannot force him to interact with us. We will keep an eye on him from afar, he will be fine.”  


Days passed, and Eustace knew that the only reason he was alive was because of those four men. 

They let him “steal” food, they covered him with their jackets, kept the wild animals away. And the time he fell out of a tree, the one they called Oyaji caught him.

It isn’t fair!

They were all so nice to him, even when he’d been a brat. 

Why?

Why can’t they just leave me alone.

It wasn’t fair that they’d made him like them when he knew that they’d just leave him…

...like everyone else did.

And so he cried, he cried for the family he wished he had.

 

Whitebeard was checking on the brat. They had a schedule to make sure the brat survived.

As he neared the kids clearing he saw him crying.

The boy was curled up in a little ball and his shoulders shook and yet he didn’t make a sound. 

Without warning Whitebeard swept the child into his arms and hugged him. 

“It’s okay, son. You won’t be alone anymore. It’s okay.” He comforted, as the kid...we really should learn his name...cried.

“But WHY?!, Why do y-YOU care? Not even m-my… Harold and Alberta cared...I mean, if they l-loved me, they wouldn’t ha-ave named m-me E-Eustace of ALL things!” Eustace screamed.

“If they loved me, they would let me call them m-mom and da-ad or at least show me they loved me.”, his voice broke as he tried in vain not to cry. 

“They would hug me...like aunt Helen hugs my cousins, or play with me...like uncle Henry plays with them.” Eustace voice got lower and just a little more broken. 

“I-I-I... would settle- I would settle for an ‘I love you.’ Or at least, at least for them to at least call me- call me son.” he sobbed giving up and finally letting himself cry. 

“But they never did!” He exclaimed getting more worked up. 

“A-a-and the-then the-there i-i-is you.” His voice gaining an awed tone.

“You caught me when I fell but still let me climb. Harold and Alberta never did because I might fall, but their concern wasn’t for my health but for their reputations. You help me even when you have nothing to gain even when I’m rude and petty and I don’t get it. Why?” the kid, Eustace, ranted as he sobbed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally Tess

Chapter 5

Whitebeard waited for the kid to stop sobbing before answering.

“Because I can, it’s called basic human decency kid.” Whitebeard explained to the kid with a calm he didn’t feel.

“Harold and Alberta” he sneered out their names, “might not have cared for you, but I do. I promise you that you’ll never have to go back to them.” 

“If you want I’ll protect you, you can join my family, and become my son. I give you my oath as the captain of The Whitebeard Pirates, no as the Father of The Whitebeard Pirates. Once you join it’s forever, you will always have us as a family. What do you say Tess?”

“Tess? I--I like that name.” Eustace said with hope blossoming in him.

“I can be Tess and I-I can, I- I can have a family?”he stuttered out tears streaming down his face.

“Really? Yes! Yes I want a family I want a dad and--and I--I’ll be good. I promise. I can be good and you’ll never regret me.” Eustace--Tess promised.

“....but ...Mr. Oyaji...sir? Are you sure the others will uh, are you sure they will accept me?...I--I was really mean and bratty and...I wouldn’t even want me.”

“Gurararara of course they’ll like you. All you have to do is apologize... they’ll forgive you. You’ll see.” Whitebeard reassured him.

“Ummm...um could you maybe umm maybe, teach me how to apologize properly please Mr.Oyaji sir.”

“Gaki! Oyaji is not my name, it means father. You don’t have to call me that if you don’t want to. But I can certainly teach you to apologize.”

Tess thought about the man’s words, and decided he didn't really deserve to call him father, yet...but one day, when he knew for sure he wouldn’t be abandoned, then he’d call the man father.

 

Thatch and Vista were sparring while Marco watched. 

Since his brothers were distracted, Marco was the first to see Oyaji come out of the forest with...it...following close behind. 

Pops stopped about halfway, with his arms crossed on his chest, and observed as the brat kept walking toward them.

By the time the kid came up to him, his brothers were done sparring. Seeing the brat coming, they flanked him.

The kid looked at all three of them and opened his mouth, probably to be rude...but it seemed like he could not get his voice to work...

 

Tess knew he had to apologize, but his throat seized up. He was extremely nervous, but he still really wanted to apologize…

...so he bowed to the men--as tears started to flow from his eyes.

“I’m sorry! I am so, so sorry! I- I- I’ve been bad and a brat and- and you guys didn’t do anything bad but I’ve been so mean. Please forgive me me” he cried.

Tess was tired of crying, but he couldn’t help it...If these men didn’t forgive him he’d be alone forever.

...but he didn’t deserve to be forgiven, and he was so scared that the men knew that.

 

The three were shocked.

That was the last thing they could have expected from the kid.

The first one to snap out of his stupor was Marco, so he went up to the it- the kid and ruffled his hair.

“It’s ok yoi. You’re forgiven kid” Marco smiled at the kid.

Next, was Vista he went up to the kid and patted his shoulder.

“Marco’s right kid. Water under the bridge. As far as I’m concerned you sincerely apologizing makes up for the times you were bad”

Thatch was the last to react...he knew, better than the others, how damaged this kid was...he had seen the look of utter despair on the kid’s face when he’d been saved...he had seen the kid cry in his sleep, and seen how little he made himself to not be in the way...

He had known from the beginning, that all the nastiness was a mask the kid wore to keep people away. And he never thought the kid would throw that mask off so soon, and leave himself vulnerable...to some strangers...

He was shocked by the kid to say the least, but...most of all, he was overjoyed.

He went up to the kid and picked him up, and swung him around before hugging him.

Noting how the kid stiffened at all the contact he was so unused to, he promised himself to help this kid get better as he set him back on the sand.

Thatch knelt on the floor to be eye level with the boy, “Of course we forgive you kid. In fact why don’t we start over-- Hi my name is Thatch, it’s nice to meet you.” he said.

Tess smiled shyly at the man...and suddenly remembered something important.

“Umm I would like to start over...but first, thank you for saving my life...so...yeah-- Hi, it’s nice to meet you too. Oh! And my name is Eu-- Tess, my name is Tess.” he giggled.

Happy to have been forgiven.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izo does not approve. Izo is done with everyone's shit.

Chapter 6

A delicate eyebrow twitched in annoyance. I knew it was a bad idea.

Who. In their right mind. Took the Captain. AND First Mate on an “adventure”?

-Oh yeah-

an idiot...like Thatch. 

It had been two weeks and still Oyaji, Marco, Vista and Thatch had not contacted the crew.

Izo wondered if Oyaji knew about the new moniker the Marines had given Roger. They were calling him ‘The Pirate King’.

It was downright insulting of them to imply Roger was in any way stronger than Oyaji, but Izo knew Oyaji would just laugh.

Whitebeard hadn’t become a pirate for the money, nor the fame but rather because he wanted a family. That was why Izo had joined and why he and his siblings were so damned loyal to their Captain. They didn’t have a large crew- twenty-five at most, but they loved each other and that’s what mattered.

Izo had a vivre paper for Thatch (all of Whitebeard’s more accident friendly sons had one that was to remain with a responsible sibling), but he had misplaced it. 

Not lost, never lost.

Izo would not lose the one life-line his brother had when he left the safety of the Moby Dick-- but he couldn’t, for the life of him find the stupid paper. He had put it away in his vanity drawer but when he went to get it the paper was gone. 

At first Izo had panicked believing that Thatch had died and that’s why the vivere was missing, but after calming down he realized that there was no ash. If the paper had burned it would have left something behind or so Izo hoped as kept looking for the damned thing.

 

Whitey Bay looked at the funny piece of paper she had found in Izo’s room. It was a magic paper and moved around on its own. She had gone into Izo’s room to prank the man. Her brothers told her that stealing his make-up was the best way to make him lose all composure and a raving Izo would be funny to see. But when she’d gone into the room she had seen the magic paper and well she really wanted to investigate.

Bay was 15 years old and new to the crew, she’d been with them for a few months and was loving the pirate life. She used to be in a gang before and even then she had been one of the younger ones  
.   
Years ago the gang had united in an effort to survive the harsh streets. They’d stayed together for seven years, and as much as she would miss them, she had an actual home now and she knew her friends were happy for her.

But back to the mystery paper it didn’t get soggy when she wet it and it didn’t burn either, maybe she’d ask one of her brothers-- 

\--but not Izo cause then he’d know she’d been in his stuff. 

If only Thatch were here, he would definitely know. 

She decided to ask Rakuyo he was almost as easy going as Thatch and there is no way he’d rat her out to Izo

 

Rakuyo and some of the other more senior members of the crew watched a hassled Izo pace back and forth…

...not that the younger members could tell he was hassled Izo never looked anything less than perfect. 

And if anyone said otherwise Izo would happily correct them with one (more likely both) of his very handy flintlock pistols or his swords if they needed further encouragement- 

But, that was besides the point, something was up with Izo and Rakuyo could either help him or hide ‘til whatever it was blew over. 

Hiding most definitely hiding.

When Izo turned his back to keep pacing, Rakuyo fled and ran up to the crow’s nest. 

Izo hated it up there because the wind always did a number on his hair. 

Thanking the gods for Izo’s vanity Rakuyo jumped into the nest, and promptly landed on Bay who was apparently also hiding from Izo. 

Welp great minds think alike I guess

“What you doin up here squirt ya lookin’ mighty guilty?” Rakuyo questioned his newest and youngest sister.

“Well I maybe might have-- completely by accident mind you-- sorta stolenIzo’smagicpaper” Bay answered eager to get the stinkin secret off her chest. 

After all her time in the streets, she’d learned to read people and Izo was desperate beneath the calm facade. Thus, making Bay feel guilty. 

She hadn’t meant to actually stress her brother out, but now she was too scared to go and face the music. 

She’d never pranked someone without Thatch before, and since Thatch wasn’t here there was no one to take the heat with her, man this was gonna suck.

“You took what from Izo?” Rakuyo asked, hoping that he’d heard wrong. 

If the magic paper was what he thought it was Bay was in for it this time. 

Rakuyo stared at his little sister welp she done goofed. Izo was gonna murder her, well not really but Izo always came up with the most creative punishment. To the point that Marco usually came to the man for help when dealing with a rowdy sibling...

...*coughThatchcough*.

Rakuyo took the paper Bay offered and sure enough it was Thatch’s vivre paper. 

Now he understood why Izo had been so bedraggled

...mental note stay away from Izo for a while he had some sort of sixth sense when it came to his appearance being bad mouthed....

He would be to, if the vivre paper under his watch had gone missing. 

Rakuyo guarded Jiru’s paper, you wouldn’t know it by looking at the man but he was a damn menace. There was a reason Jiru had gotten so fast at running, and it usually involved an angry mob giving chase. 

The vivre’s purpose was to always be able to reach their more trouble magnet brothers if they ever needed backup.

And even thinking of Jiru’s paper just up and vanishing, scared the hell outta Rakuyo. 

Izo had nerves of steel to not have rampaged through the ship once he realized Thatch’s paper was missing.

He couldn’t really blame Bay for taking it she didn’t know what it was or what losing it would mean to Izo, maybe Izo would be so glad to have the paper back he’d take it easy on Bay…

...Yeah and maybe Pops would give up drinking.

 

Izo was at his wits end. 

No he was beyond that by now. 

He had carefully interrogated all his brothers and sisters, well except Rakuyo and Bay. 

...mental note kick Rakuyo ass for his blasphemous lies 

He knew where they were, but there was no way he was going up there. 

All his siblings thought Izo refused to go up the crows because of his so called vanity. 

And while it was true that he liked looking nice, that didn’t mean he minded getting his hands dirty-- he was a pirate for crying out loud-- no what really kept Izo off the crow’s nest was his fear of heights, and so Izo was in no hurry to correct his siblings. 

Izo knew Bay and Rakuyo were hiding in the crow’s nest meaning they were guilty of something. 

So now all he had to do was wait for them to come down and then kick thei-- interrogate them. 

If it came down to a fight, Izo could take em both he was faster than Rakuyo. And Macey would help Izo since Izo often spoiled the weapon giving it dud bullets and bullet casing to snack on. 

Bay was young and in the future she would be a force to be reckoned with but as she was now Izo would have no trouble subduing her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN:  
>  1 i am so sorry i thought no one really cared about this story so i lost inspiration  
>  2 the story takes place 22 years before Marineford  
>  3 Vista will have a devil fruit. I know the anime and manga differ here but in the anime he has control over rose petals so yeah.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One for all and All for Tess. 
> 
> Can y'all guess Bay's and Rakuyo's punishments. I mean Rakuyo's is pretty obvious. Hint for Bay what is her future devil fruit.
> 
> Tess is so scared poor baby.

Chapter 7

It had been two weeks since Tess had started staying with the Whitebeard pirates and the change in him still left them baffled. It wasn’t a complete 180 nor was the kid perfect, but he tried- sure sometimes he relapsed and acted bratty but he as soon as he realized (sometimes with the help of his soon-to-be brothers) he would apologize and try again. 

Out of the four of them Tess seemed to be attached to Thatch the most, always following him around and asking him questions. Marco was pretty sure that Thatch knew the kid best it was like he could read the kids mind or something, whatever it was the kid seemed to really appreciate it.

Not that Marco couldn’t read the kid, as first mate (and older brother to all other Whitebeard’s regardless of actual age) learning how to read people was essential. But there were times when he didn’t understand why Tess acted the way he did, the best comparison was that the kid was like a cat. HE set the rules for interactions and got real hissy if he felt they were encroaching on his personal space.

 

It had been five weeks since Thatch had taken Pops, Marco, and Vista on his adventure. 

It had been four weeks since Izo started to worry about their lack of communication.

It had been three weeks since Blenheim had noticed that the group had left all their gear behind.

It had been two weeks since Bay had taken Thatch’s vivre paper and Izo had, had to punish both Rakuyo and her. 

It had been roughly one week since both his siblings had started glaring at Izo whenever they thought he wasn’t looking, but Izo told them their punishment would be lifted when Pops came back onboard. 

And finally-- finally they had found the island where their four where probably stranded in.

Vista’s bad luck seems to have kicked in since the island was near a sea king nest, they had no gear, and their den-den mushi weren’t able to connect to the baby den-den that Marco always had with him. Vista was three for three and who knew what else had happened in their five-weeks away.

Izo was vaguely concerned, but mainly he was just anxious to get his family back on board and not let them out of his sight for the next year or so. Maybe more depending on how hurt they were.

 

Tess was the first to see it. A giant ship that looked like white whale. Whitebeard had felt his kids haki closing in but he was more asleep than awake and couldn’t tell from which direction they where coming from he turned to his youngest and smiled at his gobsmacked expression. “That, my boy, is the Moby Dick -- home of the Whitebeard pirates and your home now as well.”

Whitebeard was a little startled when the kid started crying, but then he heard what the kid had been whispering, “Home not house” over and over again. Whitebeard felt a sliver of hate for Tess’ previous caretakers (he refused to call them parents) for how neglected the kid was. He picked up the boy to look him in the eye. “Aye, Tess, home. A home with a family so you’ll never be alone again.”

 

As Marco boarded the Moby he noticed 3 things:

1\. Macy was hanging around Izo while Rakuyo looked at the weapon longingly. 

2\. Bay looked to be going through withdrawal. 

3\. Izo looked very satisfied with himself. As soon as Pops came aboard Marco jumped out of the way before Rakuyo and Bay could run him over, Marco left before they could start talking because after his time away he was too exhausted to deal with his siblings. 

Marco decided to take little Tess with him as the kid was too new to pirating and too young to deal with their siblings drama anything he needed to know Pops would fill him in on later wouldn’t want to scare the kid away so soon after all. 

As Marco took the kid on a tour of the Moby he noticed many of the other members had wanted to approach but the scared look on the kids face kept them away, this wouldn't last long his siblings were all together too curious for anyone's good.

 

Tess knew he shouldn’t. He knew there was no foundation for his fears, but he couldn’t help it. He had gotten very attached to Thatch, Marco, Vista and Whitebeard and he was afraid that now that they had their real family back they would abandon him. 

That they would be like the Pevensie and leave him behind because they had each other. It’s what happened with Edmund everytime Peter came around he didn’t see how this would be any different. He knew it was petty, but it made him happy whenever they’d leave whatever it was they were doing to play with him. 

If he was feeling crowded Marco would take him flying, and would then answer all of Tess’ questions of how he became a pheonix of all things as best he could.  
If he was anxious and worried Thatch would teach him how to cook. He made it fun and taught Tess all about kitchen safety and anything else he could think of. 

When he had so much energy he felt he’d go spare Vista would teach him footwork and katas for sword fighting. 

He was learning so many things Tess’ little scientist heart and mind were over the moon with his new experiment and cooking lessons and even the fighting lessons. 

Then on the nights he had nightmares or when he felt alone, Whitebeard would carry him and tell him stories. No matter how busy they were they always had time for Tess. 

The more time he spent with them the more scared Tess became of losing them when they realized that he was just a beastly boy just like his cousins said.

He was terrified of the other pirates. Not because he believed they would hurt him physically, but because they had the power to take his new family away. 

He wanted to go back on the island, when it was only the five of them, but he saw how happy they were now that they were back on the Moby. It was like a part of them had been missing before. He wondered how long it would be ‘til they got tired of him, like Edmund did. 

Sometimes Edmund would play with him but then Peter would come join and they’d leave him behind. He was always just good enough to be a fill-in brother, a placeholder like the number zero. He was so tired of being afraid, but being alone was too much. 

The loneliness that ate away at you, he’d learned rather early on that he’d rather be hurt than to be alone. 

 

Thatch looked at his brothers, first at Marco then at Vista, he waited for one of them to talk, but they probably wouldn’t go first seeing as he’d been the one to call the meeting. He sighed and dragged a hand down his face. 

“I’m worried about the munchkin”, he finally said “I don’t know if you’d noticed how, not really clingy...but umm I guess needy he’s gotten lately.”

“It’s almost as if he’s scared we’ll disappear on him, yoi”, Marco agreed recalling Tess’ behavior.

“It’s more than that though,'' argued Vista, “Have you seen his face when any of our siblings approach us when he’s with us?” 

“Yeah, at first I thought he was afraid of the other because he finally realised were actually pirates, but it’s something else that’s scaring him” Marco said.

Thatch had a plan, but he didn’t know if his brothers would approve of said plan. Thatch sighed “Okay, hear me out-”

“Ya’ know Thatch, none of your sane plans have ever started with that phrase, actually I thought you were banned from using that phrase.” Vista interrupted looking a tad-bit nervous.

“He has a point, you know.”chimed in Marco remembering some of Thatch's misadventures

“Look all I ask is for you to have a little faith and hear me out,'' he pleaded.

“For Tess,'' he added when his brothers still looked doubtful.

His brothers sighed and looked at each other, “For Tess.” they agreed.


	8. chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thatch's plan is finally revealed. Noble!Thatch was not a thing I was expecting but alas.

Chapter 8 

“Okay, so we all know that Tess will never interact with the others as long as he has us, and we also know that the three of us are too attached to hurt him by ignoring him even if it's for his own good. So please bear with me. So my plan is that I uh-ahem- I that is to say ImakemyselfsickandyoutwogofindtheCrocustogetacure. Which would force Tess to interact with our siblings since we won't be available”, Thatch said rapidly so his brothers wouldn't interrupt.

He could see the doubt and disbelief but the fact that they hadn't said anything gave him some hope of course they could also be shock but Thatch hadn't gotten to where he was in life by being a pessimist.

“You-- you make...what?”

“ Thatch, how?”

“How do you...no nevermind I don’t even want to go there!”

“Thatch this is a bad plan,-- Marco why are you being so quiet?” Vista questioned.

“Marco?” Vista tried again with a hint of panic in his voice.

“Tell me you don’t agree with his plan, tell him you don’t agree with his plan.” Vista asked a little more than nervous with Marco’s lack of answers.

“Marco?!” Vista begged a little resigned to his fate when he saw Marco was actually considering Thatch’s plan.

Little known fact was that Marco’s capacity to be a mother hen was rivaled only by his capacity to be a little shit, there was a reason he and Thatch got along like a house on fire.

Marco could see Vista was not happy with him, but to be fair Thatch’s plan had merit, and as far as Thatch’s plans went it wasn’t too bad. Especially once you considered that a little over four weeks ago he’d seen Thatch dive into sea king invested water leaving three devil fruit users in a dinghy in the middle of nowhere with no equipment or resources after having played the world dumbest game of whack-a-mole fish edition.

“Okay, yoi. Let’s say I agree with your plan,-” Marco started.

“ -and I am not saying I do so put that face away Vista.” Marco interrupted himself.

“What exactly did you have in mind and this time talk at normal human speeds.” Marco asked both dreading and anticipating what Thatch would say, since this plan was far too mild for Thatch to be this nervous about sharing it. 

This was Thatch’s plan, the same Thatch that had pranked himself into the Whitebeard pirates because he’d decided Marco and Whitebeard had looked sad. 

Thank the Blues for phoenix regeneration cause Vista looks about three seconds from snapping.

“Okay I’m going to need you both to let me fully explain my plan before you interrupt or start trying to poke holes into it. Okay?” Thatch asked the other two eyes wide and hopeful.

Okay.

I can do this. 

I can totally reign in their crazy.

Vista sighed a deep and tired sigh that seemed to come from the depth of his soul. He knew these two would go through with whatever scheme Thatch came up with and since Izo could not be part of the planning it fell to him to be the reasonable one. 

“Why are you the way that you are?” Vista asked in a defeated tone. “Fine, I’m willing to listen, but only because I know how much Tess needs this.”

“I’m on board, yoi. Just remember that if need be I am also one hundred percent willing to lock you up in Pops room. For your own good of course” Marco replied with a smirk.

Both Vista and Thatch turned to stare at Marco, that was collectively the most hated punishment of the Whitebeard's. It was Marco's last resort punishment, it was his go to when he didn't believe he was equipped to stop a sibling from doing something a special kind of stupid. 

Whitebeard knew that Marco only turned to him for help disciplining his siblings when he was at his wit's end and acted respectively. He'd stay in his room with his wayward child while giving them a look of extreme sadness and disappointment until they cracked. It was an excellent deterrent for his more wild child extremist tendencies.

With the new threat hanging over his head Thatch grew a little more weary but he was determined to help Tess. 

“Alright so I before either of you say anything, I know: I know how extreme my plan is. I know the risk involved. I know just how bad this can blow up in all our faces. And I know how much Tess needs for this to work”

“ I can't tell you much of what he's told me because that'd be breaking his trust, but the things that boy has been through would break your hearts.”, he said stopping to collect his thoughts.

“He needs this family more than anyone realizes, but he's so scared. He's using us as a crutch and as long as we let him he won't bond with the rest of the crew.” Thatch tried to explain without giving too much away.

“What we need to do is remove ourselves from the equation without hurting him or making him feel like we're abandoning him. Pops and the three of us have helped him make so much progress but at this point it's no longer enough.”, he said in a solemn voice that was rather to hear from him.

“If he, even for a second, thinks we're abandoning him he'll retreat so far into himself that we’ll probably never see the real him again. Tess is so strong and yet so so very fragile, and I--” Thatch stopped as he felt a sob threatening to break out.

Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't fucking cry!

Marco watched as Thatch tried to compose himself, watched him slip into his noble facade that forced him into a detached state of being.

Marco hated that mask and how Thatch had perfected it but who was he to judge unhealthy coping mechanisms, glass houses and all that.

Seeing Thatch react as he was illuminated just how bad Tess’ situation was. 

Marco had been paying attention it's just that children are so different than adults in mannerisms. He hadn't realized that since Tess basically acted like a mini adult he had taken to treating Tess the same he would the others. Except for the hugs but to be fair none of his other siblings initiated hugs or asked for flights likes Tess did. But that wasn't what mattered at the moment. What mattered was that Marco had missed something regarding Tess and something big by the was Thatch was acting. 

So Marco promised himself he would go along with whatever plan Thatch had. It was, after all, his job as the oldest brother to take care of his younger siblings and anybody who joined the crew after him fell into the younger sibling category regardless of age.

“Okay no more bullshit and no more stalling,” Thatch tried once more to get his plan out in the open.

“ My plan is to use one of my non-lethal poisons on myself the symptoms are pretty bad so Doc.’ll just think I’m sick. Once she can't find a cure she'll put me in quarantine and ask for the help of the one doctor she trusts- as he mentor and as a professional-Crocus.” Thatch explained talking over any attempt they made to interrupt.

“ The only ones actually allowed to go to Rodgers ship are you two, I’ll be quarantined and with his first mate gone Pops will be extremely busy. Which will have Tess reluctant to interrupt him it's a habit we're trying to break him out of but at this point it will actually work on our favor” Thatch finished explaining his plan. 

Marco and Vista both looked at each other and then at Thatch and then turned back to each other, neither of them wanting to be the one to break then silence.

Vista broke first as heaved a giant sigh and dragged his hand down his face finger dragging down his bottom eyelids before stopping to rest on his lips.

“It is a bit ummm ... extreme, but-” Vista broke off not wanting to finish his statement.

“-I can't believe I have to say this, but it's not a bad plan.” Vista admitted

“Flower power is right. It's a fairly straightforward plan not too risky, even if I don't like the idea of you poisoning yourself, yoi.” Marco said as he turned the idea round and round on his mind looking for flaws or weak points.

Vista did not like the idea, but when you grow up with as much bad luck as he did it tended to leave it's mark. Like an extreme case of pessimism and a great reluctance to interact with the world outside. 

But as much as he hated to admit it, the plan was well thought out.

“I have one condition, Thatch.” Vista said waiting for Thatch to acknowledge him

“Shoot” Tatch replied a little nervous as to what Vista’s demand would be.

“You keep a damn vial with the antidote with you at all times and you take it if we’re taking too long to come back, ya hear. If i think were taking too long I’ll call doc and if she tells me you’re still sick I’ll tell her myself what's really going on” Vista said in a voice that dared either of them to oppose.

Thatch grimaced not wanting to agree. He knew how overprotective those two could get and with Vista’s luck there was no telling what mishaps would delay them. He did not want to come clean to Doc. about what he’d done without Marco there for moral support (to hide behind while Doc raged. Same difference really.)

Thatch pursed his lips about to argue but when he saw the look Marco leveled him with his shoulders slumped in resignation.

“Fine but I get to veto it at least one,” Thatch agreed very reluctantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look it I even finished chapter 8. Aight see y'all in a year (just kidding... I think...I hope)


End file.
